(Skinner)

"What's up, partner?" I asked, turning to William. I was still getting used to him living with me, and whenever he walked through my door I had to remind myself that it's now his home too.

"I had sex," he said, with irritation in his voice. The boy has a weird sense of humor.

"Ha!" I grinned, amused. "You have time for that, William. There's no need to rush, I'm telling you, sex is overrated."

"I know," he said, his expression too serious for someone who is supposed to be only joking. "I just tried. I liked it, but… Not all that much."

It left me speechless for a second. I realized he wasn't joking. He looked me straight in the eyes and told me about losing his virginity as casually as if we were discussing a weather. What the hell should I answer to that? Why can't he be a normal teenager and hide that kind of information from his parents?

Then again, I am not his parent. Thank god for that!

"With who?" I asked, not being able to hide my confusion. I'm an assistant director in the FBI, for crying out loud, but the mere presence of this kid melts away all my authority and turns me into a babbling idiot.

"Stacey," he shrugged.

"Stacey? I thought you were just friends."

"Yeah. She wanted more. She says she loves me."

"What about you? Do you love her?"

"I don't believe in love," William reminded me. He sat on the couch next to me, took the remote and started to browse through TV channels, as if nothing has changed, as if he was still an innocent kid who doesn't drink, smoke nor engages in… intimate activities.

"When you say you had sex," I carefully fished for information, hoping against hope that he doesn't know what he's talking about. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I'm not an idiot, Skinner!" he snapped. "I know what sex is. And I know what I did."

"I'm sure you do," I nodded, suddenly afraid that he might go into details. With William, I wouldn't be surprised. "But being ready for it physically is not the same as being ready emotionally," I tried some adult crap.

"How did you know when you were ready? Emotionally?" he asked me. Oh boy!

"I'm still not sure I am," I chuckled.

"And how was your first time?" he asked with genuine interest. What the hell does he have a father for? Shouldn't this be Mulder's job?

"I was in army and she was a prostitute," I sighed. I didn't want to lie to the kid. Little Scully is just like his parents, when you lose his trust once, you'll have to go to hell and back to gain it again. "Yes, I paid for my first time. And for many more…"

"I wouldn't pay for it," he said with despise. Clearly he wasn't impressed with the deed.

"It's better when it's with the woman you love," I tried to assure him.

"Does it ever work?" he sighed.

"What?"

"Love."

"Not that I know of," I admitted after considering it for a few moments. "But William, you can't give up hope."

"Why not?" he challenged me.

"Because," I stood up and went to get us drinks. I never drink with him, but this moment needed it. He was already arrested for drinking, plus he was addicted to cigarettes, he lost a sister and a grandmother, and his parents fell apart when he needed them most… Now he even slept with a girl. If all that wasn't enough to turn him into a man, I don't know what would.

"I don't know, William," I sighed, giving him his drink. He took the glass from me and emptied it in a second. Damn! I am no match for him, and I don't mean it as a compliment. "Love makes it all worth it, in the end. Even if it doesn't last…"

"You are not making any sense," he cut me off. Thank you, William, I was aware of that.

I finished my drink in silence, thinking about whether I should mention this subject to his parents or not. Knowing William, he wouldn't hide it from them, but his relationship with Mulder and Scully wasn't in a best place and he might not bother to discuss it with them. He is a minor after all, so it should be their business, but what do I do? Invite them into my office to talk about their kid in between the cases? But if I don't and they find out anyway… Oh, to hell with them! They blame me enough for taking their kid away from them, as if this whole living arrangement was my idea! It's not my fault that they weren't able to take care of themselves, let alone him.

Some people should never be allowed to reproduce. Of course, Mulder and Scully never follow the rules. Tell that man that he can't have children, and he'll find a way to make a baby just to prove you wrong. Tell that woman that she can't adopt a dying girl and she'll get herself a husband and a house and find another terminally ill kid…

Whatever they can't do alone, these people will manage if you put them together. I can't help but admire that, despite all the headaches they cause me.

Too bad they are not together anymore…

I sighed, turning my attention back to William.

"Penny for your thoughts," I said, even though I really didn't want to know.

"I don't know what to do," he sighed miserably. "Do I have to date Stacey now?"

"Do you want to?"

"I don't know. It's… complicated."

"What is complicated?"

"I guess we would look good together," he tried to explain. "You know, like… Mark and mom."

"But you want it to be like your mom and your dad," I nodded, beginning to understand, or at least thinking that I do.

"No," he corrected me. "That's the last thing I want!"

"Your parents are good people," I reminded him. "They just had a lot more of bad luck than anybody could handle. They'll find their way back to each other, but it's going to take time. You and Stacey probably need more time as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Take it slow," I advised him. "Ask Stacey on a date. Take her to the movies or for a walk, see how you like spending time together. Get to know her better. There's no need to rush anything."

"So we should not have sex again?"

Straight to the point! He made me laugh.

"There will be time for that," I assured him. "Trust me, you have a whole life ahead of you for adult stuff. Try to enjoy being a kid while you still can."

"Molly didn't have time," he noticed. I don't know whether it's poignant or sad that he keeps the memory of his sister alive at all times.

"I know you miss her," I acknowledged, not knowing what else to say. "We all do."

"It's the best thing in the world," he said passionately. "Having a sister, not sex! I don't care about sex, I want to have a sister again!"

And that is something he never lets any of us forget. Sister issues. It runs in the family. I once got shot trying to find the killer of his mother's sister. I supervised the search for his father's sister for years. And yet I never got to know either one of them.

I knew Molly, though. Molly was the heart and soul of Scully family, she brought them together in a way they never managed before her, and after her they all hopelessly drifted apart.

"Molly was very sick, William," I reminded him. "We all did what we could for her, but her disease wasn't curable. She's at peace now."

"I'm not," he remarked.

"Her birthday is coming up, isn't it?" I remembered.

"So what?" William wasn't impressed by my observation skills. "She is not going to celebrate, is she?"

"No, but we could celebrate for her," I offered. "Maybe get her a cake or a present? What do you think she'd like?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, but I could see he was intrigued. I watched his expression change from boredom and hopelessness to joy and enthusiasm.

"Fish!" he exclaimed happily. "Can we get her another fish?"

"Sure," I agreed. What's one more fish, when I already have Molly's entire aquarium in my living room? "We could go right away, if you don't have other plans."

"Yes, let's go! I'll just go change, really quick! Thank you Skinner, I love you!" he briefly hugged me before jumping from the couch and running to the guest, I mean his, room.

That from a boy who claims that he doesn't believe in love!

I smiled as I waited for him to get ready. I was relieved that the awkward conversation was over, and I seemed to have done good with it. Then it hit me that I forgot to mention protection, and my smile faded away. He must have been smart enough to use protection, hasn't he? In any case, what's done it's done and there's no going back. I wasn't about to bring back the freshly closed subject, but I would make myself remember it if he decided to explore it further. It was the first time for both of them, so there shouldn't be any health risks, aside from, in the worst case scenario, pregnancy.

Thank god I don't have a daughter! A son is already more than I know how to handle.